Children of Mako
by Rhiminee Cat
Summary: Cid Highwind is hired by a faction of rebels to protect a mysterious young man. Before he knows it, he is drawn into a world of fear and power, and placed in the midst of a battle which may bring about the destruction of the Planet.


**Genre**: A.U. Drama Supernatural

**Rating**: R

**Warnings**: very a.u. minor slash minor incest graphic descriptions of violence and torture language rape and non-consensual situations character death spoilers

**Archive**:If you wish to archive this, please send me a link to your site!

**Disclaimer**: Final Fantasy VII and most of the characters within these pages belong to Squaresoft (Square-Enix)

**Author's notes**: I just thought I'd add an additional warning: this is going to be very dark and disturbing and may hurt your eyes to read it. It's violent and descriptive and twisted… well, not this chapter, but later on. But, if those nasty things are your cup of tea, please continue. Enjoy, and please review!

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{Part I – _Beginning of the End_} 

The world is in Chaos.

Since the end of the Wars that have come to be known as the Ruin Wars, the Planet has faced a post-apocalyptic, technological crisis. The few cities that survived the Wars are powered by massive Mako generators that are over one hundred years old; they had been discarded long ago in favour of the reactors – all of which are now destroyed. Technology has taken great steps backward through time: all forms of transportation and communication have been reduced to near-primitive levels. The only city that was never touched by a single Weapon is Midgar. This city is the center of all power for the Planet, and it is where the Order of Jenova rules.

The Order of Jenova controls the Planet, using its resources and inhabitants like lab-rats in their Mako experiments, hoping to perfect the substance. Mako was discovered 140 years ago, fifty years before the Ruin Wars began. Mako has the properties to change a person's appearance, to make them stronger, to make them ageless, and to make them invincible. According to some legends, Mako is actually the blood of a sentient being called Chaos. No one believed these myths until the creator of Mako was found.

Millions of humans and animals from around the world were infused with the life-altering fluid during the Wars, ensuring that the Order of Jenova would come to have complete control of the Planet. The most loyal people were chosen to become members of SOLDIER, an elite group of warriors dedicated to one thing: doing the will of their leader…

One man rules above the Order of Jenova, controlling his warriors like pawns in a never-ending game of human chess. He was among the first to be changed by the Mako. He became immortal, invincible. He has the power to kill a person simply by touching their flesh. He thrives on fear and hatred. This man is thought to have created Chaos, the being whose blood is Mako. This man wishes to be a god… but will only be so by finding and retrieving Chaos' host, where he lays dormant, waiting to be reborn.

Sephiroth, he who created Chaos, must seek out the host who is much more powerful than any being altered by Mako. For he, Sephiroth, is not the first Child of Mako.

Sephiroth waits for Chaos to awaken inside the body of his own brother… the first Child of Mako.

Chaos will soon awaken, enter his summoner, and become a god.

Only a demon with the power of Chaos coursing through his veins will prevent the total annihilation of the Planet…

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"… 'One hundred units of Mako were confiscated by Nibelheim authorities early yesterday morning from a shipment en route to Midgar. Although they were forced to return it to the Midgar SOLDIER in the area, a small amount of the fluid was stolen and taken to labs. It will be used in the ongoing effort to reverse the effects of the altering fluid…'… Fucking idiots!"

Cid Highwind swore loudly and harshly at the newspaper in his hands before crushing it into a ball and heaving it at the trash container across the room. As usual, he missed, and the former illegal newspaper joined several other balls of paper on the scuffed wooden floor of his office. Cid sighed angrily and lit a cigarette, exhaling heavily as he glared darkly at the crumpled remains of the newspaper. He'd gotten it from an acquaintance that was working with dozens of other people trying to find a cure for Mako alterations. He himself was a member of a small resistance group here in Nibelheim, but only partly so. He never stayed in town long enough to get involved, as he was leaving every few days on another job. Such was the life of a former warrior, now bio-hunter.

"Cid? May I come in?"

Cid turned as the door to his paper-ridden office swung open, revealing a tired-looking girl of about 24. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, skirting around the paper balls beneath her feet. Cid flopped down in his chair, stubbing out his cigarette before acknowledging her.

"What? Can't you see I'm busy?" he shouted in agitation. Noticing the girl's skeptical yet bemused look, Cid picked up the closest piece of uncrushed paper from his dirty, cluttered desk and pretended to read it. His assistant laughed. Cid looked down at the paper in his hands, realizing it was a menu for the take-out restaurant down the street, which had closed nearly a year ago.

Sighing again, Cid laid the menu down. "Fine," he said as he rubbed his hands over his face. "What do you want, Aerith? I don't want another rich bastard begging me to hunt down his lost daughter. I'm sick of telling them that I'm not that kind of hunter…"

He trailed off as the young woman glared at him, her bright green eyes narrowing in slight anger. He cringed inwardly at her inhuman gaze. Aerith had told Cid that she had been infected with Mako at a very young age, and had been given incredible healing powers as a result... but Cid knew she was lying; her powers far surpassed anyone they knew with Mako inside of them. She said that her abilities had frightened her family, and so they threw her into the dangerous streets of Nibelheim. She lived there for years, selling flowers just so she could afford to eat once in a while. Cid found her about six years ago, when he was hunting a rogue teenager who had murdered four people. He took pity on the girl and hired her as a secretary and housekeeper. Aerith had been the one who had persuaded him to join the resistance group.

Sometimes, Cid regretted taking her in. Times like this, when she stared at him with her impossibly green eyes.

"Cid! Are you listening to me?" Aerith's voice broke him from his reverie. He focused on her, smiling slyly. She sighed and rolled her eyes in annoyance. "You know, if you had better people skills, you would be happily married, and you wouldn't be flying around the world, hunting down destructive Mako victims for money!"

"Aerith, I don't want nor do I need a wife when I have you around to pick up after me. Now, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Trying not to smile, Aerith went to Cid's barely functional television and turned it on, flipping through the channels while talking distractedly, "I think you might want to watch this first before I tell you…"

She found the channel she was looking for – the International News – and sat in the chair across from Cid. They watched as the reporter finished talking to the Nibelheim president before turning back to the camera.

"Just moments ago," the nervous-looking woman began. "The Order of Jenova and its leader, the infamous Sephiroth, made an international declaration of power, stating that they have taken complete control of Midgar, the world's largest and strongest city. It is well known that Midgar suffered no damage during the Ruin Wars, therefore making the most economically and technologically advanced city in the world. The Order of Jenova has also declared that every major city will be under guard of SOLDIER, and…"

Aerith got up and turned the television off, looking slightly distressed. "It's rumored that Sephiroth is close to finding… well, you know… Chaos."

Cid threw his hands into the air indifferently. "So? Who the hell cares?" he said. "The Planet will be infested with people who have been pumped full of that damn Mako shit… like SOLDIER… and Sephiroth will become a god. Normal people… like me… will become slaves and fucking guinea pigs in labs. Big fucking deal. Now, what does that have to do with what you were going to tell me?"

Aerith very much wanted to say something about Cid's negative attitude, but she decided against it. The last thing she wanted was to get into another argument about the Planet's future with her employer and oldest friend. Instead, she got up and handed him a plain brown envelope, all the while frowning at him disapprovingly as he lit another cigarette.

"Well, it doesn't really have anything to do with the letter… I just wanted you to watch the News for once," Aerith said as she wrinkled her nose and waved the smoke away from her face. Ignoring her, Cid tore open the envelope and shook out the letter inside. He unfolded it and read it aloud:

"_To Cid Highwind of Nibelheim;_

_I am a member of the resistance group AVALANCHE. I'm sure you've heard of us. I am writing to you because we need your help. After extensive research and several recommendations, I have come to this conclusion: You are our only hope. Well… maybe that's being overly dramatic, but anyways. I have heard of your success as a bio-hunter, and I'm very curious. Would you consider guarding a member of our resistance? He is under constant surveillance of SOLDIER, and we must get him out of the city. Please take my request into consideration. If you agree to these terms, come to Midgar immediately. Someone will be waiting for you at the airport._

_I hope to meet you soon!_

_Tifa Lockheart_"

Cid slowly lowered the paper and stared over the top of it at Aerith. She shrugged and smiled sweetly. "I thought you would help them. Tifa is a good friend of mine, and a strong contact in Midgar. Will you at least go to Midgar and talk to her? You would only be gone for a few days." She gazed at him imploringly, her intense green eyes piercing into his blue ones.

"No! I ain't going to be a fucking bodyguard to some damn kid who abuses his powers and pisses off the authorities. I'll probably be hunting this damn brat down within a month anyways. What's the point?" Cid crossed his arms and sat back in his chair, avoiding the strict glare Aerith was sending him.

"Cid Highwind, you listen to me! You don't even know _why_ SOLDIER is watching this person. He could be a threat to the Mako experiments, or he could be a suspect in that assassination attempt made on Sephiroth a few months ago. Wouldn't you like to meet someone like that? The gods know how much you loathe Sephiroth." Aerith smiled again.

Sighing, Cid stood, stretched, and went to his grimy window, watching the people below him. He thought in silence for several minutes while Aerith waited patiently behind him. Finally, he turned and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. Aerith smiled happily as Cid leaned down to kiss her on the cheek, than stuck a cigarette between his lips. He paused briefly at the door, glaring back at her.

"This better be worth my time."

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Alright! My first Final Fantasy series fic! such a geek I PROMISE this gets better… the first chapter is kind of lame, but I didn't want to make any longer. Please review!


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